The next morning, I was ready to try out FaeLina's brilliant loophole. The dungeon was quiet, it is the perfect mood for some fun creation. Pip was waiting in the main chamber, looking both nervous and excited. He had been promised a new friend, and I was going to deliver it to him.
FaeLina, looking very pleased with her own cleverness and now she was coaching me.
'Okay, Mochi, you have be very careful,' her psychic voice instructed. 'Don't use the 'Artisan's Soul' ability. Go to the menu for the Pillow Fiend. And when the system asks, just tell it you're making a special 'model'. Don't use any big words!'
'Understood. A special, heavily-armored pillow model. Got it.'
FaeLina made a sound like a frustrated sigh, but she didn't object.
I followed her instructions. I went to the [Minion Registry] in my system menu and selected the [Pillow Fiend]. Then I chose an option I hadn't seen before: [Create New Variation].
A new window opened. It asked for a design to base the variation on. I focused on the memory of Elian's charming, hand-carved clockwork knight toy.
The system began to process the request. A warning prompt appeared.
> [Requesting New Variation for 'Pillow Fiend'...]
> [Applying the new 'Clockwork Knight' design...]
> [Warning: This new version is not fluffy and is very metallic. Is this okay?]
>
'Confirm,' I projected. FaeLina held her invisible breath.
The creation began. A normal, fluffy Pillow Fiend appeared in a swirl of purple light. But then, the magic intensified. The fluff seemed to shrink and harden. Magical gears and shiny brass plates appeared out of thin air, clicking and whirring as they attached themselves to the transforming shape.
When the light faded, a new creature stood in the center of the room. It was a two-foot-tall clockwork knight. Its body was made of polished brass and spinning gears that made a soft, pleasant tick-tock sound. Its friendly, round head had two glowing blue crystals for eyes.
Pip stared at the creature and his mouth was slightly open.
"Wow..." he whispered.
The little clockwork knight looked around, its head tilting with a curious click. Its glowing blue eyes landed on Pip. And then, it gave him a small, friendly, metallic wave.
A happy notification popped up in my mind.
> [New Variation Created!]
> [Name: Pillow Fiend (Clockwork Model)]
> [Official Bureau ID: PF-CM-001]
> [Dungeon given Name: 'Clank']
> [Abilities: 'Loyal Friend', 'Calm Ticking Sound', 'Can carry small things'.]
>
The loophole had worked. According to the official records, this walking, talking robot was, for all legal purposes, just a slightly unusual type of pillow.
Pip took a slow, careful step towards his new companion. "Uh... hello?"
Clank walked towards him, its little metal feet making soft click-clack sounds on the stone floor. It looked up at Pip's nervous face, tilted its head again, and then gently patted his hand with its own metal one.
A soft, friendly voice, like a cheerful chime, chirped from a small speaker in its chest. 'You can do it, Pip!'
Pip's face broke into the biggest, happiest smile I had ever seen on him. All his nervousness vanished, replaced by pure joy. This wasn't just a minion; it was a friend. He immediately sat down on the floor and started showing Clank his collection of lockpicks, explaining what each one was for. Clank sat opposite him, listening with a focused, curious look, its head ticking softly.
FaeLina, meanwhile, was frantically checking the official Fairy Bureau registry on her magic clipboard.
"It worked, Mochi! It actually worked!" she cheered in a triumphant whisper. "Look! It just says we have a new 'armored model' of the Pillow Fiend. They probably think it's for extra-safe cuddling! We are geniuses!"
Just as she was celebrating our victory over paperwork, a golden, official-looking notification appeared directly in my mind.
[Official Question from the Ministry of Core Compliance:]
[About your new minion, PF-CM-001... we have seen the report of its creation. Please confirm that its 'Danger Level' is the same as the normal 'Pillow Fiend' model. An audit may be needed.]
FaeLina and I stared at the message. We had tricked the system, but now a real person—or fairy—was looking at our file.
We now had to somehow prove that our new, friendly, clockwork robot was exactly as dangerous as a sleepy pillow.